What is Naturism?
If you were to asked ten people what naturism was you would most probably get ten different answers however one common definition is the one suggested by the International Naturist Federation:
"Naturism is a way of life in harmony with nature characterized by the practice of communal nudity, with the intention of encouraging self- respect, respect for others and for the environment."
The main tenets of naturism are as follows:
Clothing Optional
 Naturists believe that, while clothing does have some practical uses (such as for warmth or protection), many activities are better performed nude. In many cases nudity is more comfortable, healthy, or fun than wearing clothes. Naturists do not intend to force everyone to go nude; rather, they advocate the option to choose when and where clothing is appropriate.
Body acceptance
Most of what we have seen on the TV or in magazines is a fake and an impossible to achieve perfection. More often than not that gorgeous young woman on the front cover of Vogue or Vanity Fare is also body conscious. She knows she looks great but the inevitable doubt creeps in when she finds out the editors felt the need to air brush her image.
Naturists know that almost no one has a perfect body, and that beauty can be found in bodies of all shapes, sizes, colours, and ages. Nudity is the means to the goal of body acceptance; when nude, the full beauty of the human body is exposed, creating pride in what you've got and reducing the desire for what you've not.
Separation of nudity and sex
For hundreds of years, people have assumed a connection between nudity and sex - after all, the only time many people are nude, other than while bathing, is during sex. Naturists reject this assumption. Nudity does not automatically lead to sex - and, incidentally, you can have sex with your clothes on. The two are quite simply not related.
Arguments for nudity
Why do naturists choose the nude lifestyle? Well ... there are several appealing things about it:
Comfort
Anyone who's spent any amount of time in ill-fitting, uncomfortable clothing knows how good it feels when it's not being worn. Clothing is, by nature, something foreign to the body, and its presence is always known to the wearer. When you're not constantly being reminded that you're dressed, it's easier to think about other things! There is a tremendous feeling of freedom when nude. Once you have been swimming nude, you'll struggle to understand why anyone would ever want to wear clothes in the water.
Health
The whole point of a sauna or a steam room is to cleanse the body and rid it of toxins. You sweat them out and wash them away with a refreshing shower. A wet, clingy swimsuit might protect your modesty but does little to help the cleansing process which is why you tend not to wear anything when showering at home.
The equalizing aspect
Thoreau wrote: "It is an interesting question how far we would retain our respective rank if we were divested of our clothes." All other things held equal, when nude, a king appears no different than a peasant, a doctor no different than a steelworker, a wealthy banker no different than the lowest-paid clerk. Thus, these classifications disappear and the playing field is levelled.
Cleanliness
Dirt, sand, and salt accumulate in clothing. It is a lot easier to stain clothing than skin. It is a lot easier to rinse skin than to wash clothing.
Convenience
Society says you must have clothing at all time when in public. Even the simplest tasks, such as stepping out your front door to pick up the newspaper, require you to get dressed. A naturist's outfit is always easily available. Sleep nude, and you are already "dressed" when you awake.
It's fun!
This is the best reason for going nude, and requires no further explanation.
Rebuttals to Arguments against Nudity
Here are some rebuttals to common excuses for keeping the body covered:
Shame
Centuries of oppressive thought have convinced many people that the body is a shameful, worthless object that should be hidden. Nonsense! The human body is one of the most elegant, masterful and valuable things on earth. There are few things in existence which compare to it on an artistic, technical, or philosophical level. Celebrate the human body! It's one of only a handful of truly unique creations.
Embarrassment
Some people are afraid of running into someone they know while nude, or - worse - being seen by someone they know (or someone they don't) while nude. Remember that you will be around many other people who will also be nude. You may be momentarily embarrassed at first - this is normal - but as you spend more time nude, you will realize that if everyone is nude, no one has cause for nudity-related embarrassment. As for the possibility that you'll run into someone you know - well, you've got something new in common to talk about? Besides, what is there to be embarrassed about? They are there, too, for the same reasons as you.
Feelings of inadequacy
Many people refuse to go nude because they feel that their height, weight, build, features, etc. are unacceptable. There is no need to feel that you must conform to a standard of beauty or acceptability, especially one you had no part in creating! Naturists come in all shapes, sizes, colours, ages, and beliefs. Naturists have even undergone surgeries, mastectomies, etc., and have the scars to prove it (many have said that naturism helped them further accept these scars.) In naturism, there is no ideal of the perfect body other than yourself. If you can accept yourself for what you are, you will have no problem overcoming your perceived imperfections.
Vulnerability
By stripping away clothing, you strip away the armour that protects you from an unkind world. Some people fear this. Naturists believe vulnerability is a good thing. Think about this: in a naturist setting, everybody is vulnerable. The shared vulnerability creates respect and caring for your fellow naturists. Besides, most of your vulnerability probably comes from the awareness that you are nude - an awareness that becomes less important to you as you spend more time nude.
Fear of sexual consequences
Many people are afraid that if they go nude, they invite unwanted attention, possibly even rape. Naturists decry sexual harassment and sexual assault, and are committed to creating an environment where women and men may both feel safe and non-threatened. Don't let this fear prevent you from trying naturism - harassment and assault are very rare, and are not tolerated by naturists. (And, by the way, naturists enjoy healthy sexual lives like most everyone else - but they enjoy them in private, like most everybody else.)
Fear of gawkers
By "gawkers" we mean the people who hang around naturists solely for the thrill of seeing naked people. Gawkers tend to be more of a problem on naturist beaches than in a private naturist club. Anyone can turn up to a naturist beach and plonk themselves uncomfortably close to you and there is little you can do about it (they have just as much right to be on a public beach as you). Private naturist clubs, however, have rules to allow them to expel any "gawker" who manages to get through the membership process. Clubs also have strict rules on the taking of photos whereas a public beach doesn't.
Cleanliness
Some will ask "What about bodily excretions that I am used to having caught by my underwear?" Naturists are mindful of this, and it is common naturist practice (and a rule at many naturist facilities) to carry a towel to sit on.
Safety and comfort
Naturists do not claim that nudity is always appropriate. Clothing does have its practical uses. Clothing is a good idea in cold weather. Clothing is a good idea when frying bacon. No naturist will disagree. That doesn't mean that clothes should be required all the time. We should all be allowed to use common sense to decide when we should be clothed and when we should not.
Offending others
Doesn't nudity offend some people? Well, yes. Walking nude down Main Street will offend others. It may also do harm to the naturism cause. But going to a private naturist club should not offend anyone.
The arguments for nudity outweigh the arguments against. The opinions against may be more popular, but ours are more sensible. If you are hesitant to try naturism, try to decide why you feel this way, then find out if your hesitance is justified. More often than not, you'll find that it's not. Naturism's advantages are much greater than any perceived disadvantage.
Go on ... give it a go!
|
